Gas prices rose slightly during the past week, but haven't been as volatile so far this year compared to last year.

The national average for regular unleaded rose by a nickel over the last week to $33.5 a gallon. The lowest number of jobless claims in five years, and a reduction in the amount of oil flowing through a pipeline between Oklahoma and Texas help buoy gas prices. U.S. crude oil stocks rose to well above the upper limit of the five-year range, but that was countered by higher-than-normal demand.

In Delaware, regular unleaded rose by four cents over the last week to $3.40 a gallon. In South Jersey, regular rose by a nickel to $3.32 a gallon, while on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, regular fell by a penny to $3.29 a gallon. Gas prices are expected to remain stable until the spring.